Go, Go, Go, Go!!!!

  Vence, France
Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Sometimes a trip can go from just okay to very cool. That's what happened to me :)

After my night stroll through Nice, I returned to the hotel around 9:30pm and hauled out my computer to catch up on work and things. Since the wifi only worked in the lobby /living room area, I plopped myself down and made myself at home. I had the advantage of seeing the front door and hearing the chatter but was a bit on the side with lots of privacy.

The first thing I did was haul out the food. I had eaten earlier (that eggplant sandwich around 4pm) but I was ready snack. Out came the nuts, some juice, a big thing of water and chips. Hearing the rustling, Eric, the night hotel manager, came round the corner. He gave me a curious look and walked past me. He returned with a plate for my chips. "Je vois que tu fais un pique-nique!" I grinned back. Hey, I'm just getting started. He then spied the juice and left to get a glass. Before I knew it we were chatting and snacking on the cashews that I had bought earlier at the Saint Tropez market. He was definitely the snooty type, but was a bit amused at my lack of pretense. If I'm hungry I'm gonna EAT!

So thanks to our late evening chats which continued the next couple nights,I learned about Vence and other cool places to see in the area.

Vence is an ancient walled city, wonderfully preserved, and in nestled in a quaint little town. Its found up in the mountains that look down on Nice and Cannes. Amazingly, my GPS knew all about Vence and had no problem guiding me up the very narrow roads. While in the area of Vence I drove up roads so narrow I didn't dare keep my eyes open. I was just too scared!!!!!

Vence Oct 10 (Click for pics!)

In just 10 minutes I was in Vence. A quick stop in the bar for an expresso, grabbed a map of the city, and I was on my way! As soon as I entered into the walled city I was snapping pictures. Its hard to believe how old the roads were or how different the lives and lifestyles must have been. Vence offers a taste of mideval structures and proximities. The walled area can be walked in a matter of minutes. Its hard to believe that people still live and work in this village! The laundry drying outside the windows and the children playing are all evidence of a little life lived in a very little town.